MLive's Angela Wittrock discusses Lansing business news

MLive's Lansing beat reporter Angela Wittrock joins Current State every Monday for a rundown of the latest news about the local economy, business and development. Today, she talks with Current State host Emanuele Berry about how Lansing will balance its budget, the proposed Kewadin casino project and more.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released a massive study that analyzes health care in counties across the country and ranks them based on health data. The data shows some noteworthy findings about health disparities across 83 counties in Michigan. For instance, two neighboring counties, Wayne and Washtenaw, have very contrasting health outcomes.

Michigan has made huge investments to develop alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass. But like the rest of the country, Michigan is still a primarily fossil fuel-driven economy. Crude oil is big business in Michigan, especially in Jackson County. In 2012, more than 1.2 million barrels were produced there, which is three times more than any other county.

China’s economic and political growth has been well documented. However, limited attention has been paid to how rapid development has dramatically impacted the nation's cultural life. Organizations in both China and the U.S. are working together to preserve and share China's "intangible" heritage and build cultural ties.

Allen (Al) Martin is joining WKAR as the host of “Sports Talk 870.” Al’s passion for sports journalism stems from his own experience on the court. In high school he played basketball. In college he translated his love for the game into the field of journalism. Al joins Current State's Emanuele Berry to talk about his connection with sports journalism and the future of “Sports Talk 870.”